On the Road Again
by DefinitelyNotScott
Summary: Modern AU. Alanna took Thom on the road to recover after he survived the incident with Roger. Thom retaliated by getting a new tattoo or piercing in every state they visited. A Purim Gifts 2015 present for JayGreen.


Thom's stated intent of getting a new tattoo or piercing in every state they visited definitely influenced the route Alanna mapped out for their trip. She was pretty sure there were healthier ways of coping with the whole Roger thing, but she could easily think of worse, so she wasn't going to say anything.

And that's why they were headed inside the "Tattoo Parlor and Piercing Emporium" that serviced this middle-of-nowhere town and its dinky community college. The welcome smell of disinfectant met her nose when she stepped inside. They had walked out of more than one place without even talking to the staff on their cross-country journey.

"Sterilizing equipment! Be right out!" A high, light voice hollered from somewhere in the back.

A lighted display cabinet showed rings and bars stuck through various plastic body parts. Thom was looking through a sliding glass door that showed the artist's studio.

Alanna reached up and fingered one of her earrings just in time for Thom to look back and catch her. "Thinking about getting another set?" He smirked.

She rolled her eyes. Traitors. She was never going to live that down.

"I'm getting the other nipple done."

He looked like he thought she might object, so she didn't. "Okay."

Now he turned back to the glass with a frown.

"What? Did you want me to try and stop you?" She couldn't keep the exasperation completely out of her voice.

"You think I can't read your intentions on the map?" He sounded sharp, and pointed. Oh, Trebonds were _so_ prickly. Their heraldic device should have been a cactus. Or a porcupine.

She grimaced. "Listen. If this is what helps you get through… everything that happened, I'm all for it. I'm only trying to give you time and space."

Now he was glowering at her. "Wandering around the back end of nowhere is how _you_ process things."

She frowned right back at him. "You didn't have to ride in my damn sidecar this whole way if you didn't want to."

"How about after this we turn around and go home, then?"

"Fine!" she said, getting loud.

"Fine," he replied, teeth gritted.

"Uh… can I help you two?" They turned to see the employee they had heard earlier pumping sanitizer from a bottle on the counter into her hands.

"I'm getting my other nipple pierced if you do that without an appointment."

"Well, sure. We have some paperwork, and I have to go over safety and care info with you, sorry policy. Looks like it'll be a review for you, but we have to do it anyway." Her voice was sympathetic, but firm, so Alanna dragged a chair around and straddled it, crossing her arms over the back.

Thom gave her a look. "Stop trying to distract my piercer."

"She pierces people in the genitals. A little thigh isn't going to crack her composure."

The woman laughed before handing Thom a sheaf of printouts and beginning the mandatory lecture. Other than her name (Shambreka) it wasn't anything they didn't know, so when she wrapped up with "Any questions?" they both automatically shook their heads.

"Oh, wait," Alanna said. "What's with the sliding glass door?"

"That's for the hand holders, so they can "be there" for their friend without tracking up my nice sterile studio. It helps with the fire codes too, even though it doesn't _actually_ help."

Thom snorted.

She glanced at him. "There's a curtain too, if you prefer privacy."

"No, I'm good. It's just…" He waved a hand back and forth. "Fire codes."

Shambreka smiled, broad and amused. "Don't I know it. Alright, then. Come on back." She stood and walked through the regular door, Thom following.

Alanna scooted over to the glass door to keep vigil in her role as "hand holder". She could hear them chatting as Thom removed his shirt and Shambreka got things ready.

At last Thom was in the chair getting his nipple swabbed with alcohol. After a brief visual appraisal, she used a marker-pen to place a dot on each side of the nipple, then put the clamp in place.

Thom reached over and put his palm on the sliding door. Alanna matched her hand to his, cold glass between them.

Her feet arched up on their toes when the needle went through. It guided the ring in easily, although the pliers used to pinch the ends together made Alanna wince, even knowing they were _for the ring_.

Finally they paid up and headed out. She still felt a pang when Faithful wasn't waiting for her on Moonlight. Standing by her creamy gold motorcycle and its new-ish sidecar, Alanna put her fists on her hips and kicked at the ground. "Home, then?" she asked with a frown.

"Yes, please," he said, sighing.

She looked at him. He still looked worn. _So_ worn. But maybe he was starting to look better.

"Okay." She settled into Moonlight's saddle, and handed him his helmet.

"How fast do you think this thing can get us home to our own beds?" he asked.

She grinned at him, and revved the engine. "I think you're about to find out."


End file.
